The invention relates generally to power-driven conveyors and more particularly to electromagnetic conveyors.
Transporting aluminum beverage cans on conveyor belts through the can-manufacturing process without tipping or damaging the fragile, lightweight cans is difficult. Coated or decorated cans are cured and wet cans are dried in bulk in large ovens. But large ovens are not energy efficient. Solenoidal induction heaters are used to heat cans, but the heaters use a conveyor chain or a pin conveyor to transport the cans. Cans are washed and rinsed in bulk in large washers that are not energy efficient. The washers consume large amounts of water and cleaning solution. The large conveyor belts conveying the cans in bulk through the washers must be able to withstand the cleaning chemicals and the dryer heat. And, because the lidless cans are cleaned upside down to drain, they must be inverted right-side up after cleaning to be transported reliably to downstream processing.